ST Extruded Products Group (STEP-G), part of the global Sankyo Tateyama Group, has tripled sawing throughput and reduced material waste following the installation of a Behringer HBM720ALU-Z automated aluminium band saw at its Hettstedt, Germany, recycling foundry.
The facility produces aluminium billets for customers in sectors including automotive, rail, mechanical engineering and defence. However, its two existing circular saws had reached their limits in terms of productivity, precision and flexibility, restricting billet dimensions while generating excessive material waste through kerf widths of 8-12 mm.
“Our previous technology was having a negative impact on our competitiveness,” says plant manager Oleg Hoffmann. “The market is demanding significantly larger dimensions, both in length and diameter.”
Commissioned in autumn 2025, the new automated sawing line replaces both circular saws with a fully integrated process from casting to finished billet. Aluminium billets are transferred automatically from the casting line to the saw, where a precision measuring system, automated material handling and advanced clamping technology ensure accurate positioning and consistently high cut quality.
Capable of cutting at speeds of up to 3000 m/min, the HBM720ALU-Z combines high productivity with a narrow kerf that reduces chip generation and material loss. Fully enclosed guarding and an integrated extraction system further improve workplace safety while returning aluminium chips directly to the melting process.
The investment has delivered measurable benefits. Throughput has tripled, while chip volume has fallen by a factor of five, reducing both material loss and energy consumption. Monthly output has increased from around 3500 to more than 10,000 cuts, with billet diameters now ranging from 203 to 690 mm and maximum infeed lengths of 8.5 m.
Hoffmann concludes: “The project was completed on time, to the required quality and within budget. We were consistently supported by a highly competent and committed Behringer team.”
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